All-time Favorite Pinoy Sports Icons

Philippines like other countries love sports. Athletics, basketball, billiards, boxing, chess and swimming are just some of the sports that gave the country international fame all over the world. Here's a list of Pinoy icons in sports that put the country on top rank and brought great pride in it.

10. BILLIARDS: Francisco Bustamante

Francis Lopez Bustamante also known as Django, is a professional pocket billiards-pool. Born and raised in Tarlac Philippines and became the 2010 World 9-ball champion. He started playing his profession when he was at the age of 10,he has won different titles such as; the Munich Master, The German 9-ball Championship and the Japan 9-ball Championship who has made him one of the billiard's greatest international stars.

9. SWIMMING: Eric Buhain

Before becoming a champion Eric had a Primary Lung Complex, which is a serious lung disease. His doctor advised him that he must engage into a sport that would help his lungs. So Eric decided to enroll in a swimming class and that is the start of Eric's dream to be a swimming champion. He became a member of the Philippine swimming team at the age of 11. In 1985 when he was 15 he gained his first medals in the Southeast Asian Games and Thailand is the host country. In 1991 he contributed 90 gold haul in the RP's team in Manila where in the SEA games event was held.

8. CHESS: Eugene Torre

Chess master Eugene Torre was born to play chess and give the countries honor in that field. At the age of 22 he is the first Filipino and the first Asian to have title of International Grandmaster. He earns a lot of medals at the World Chess Olympiad where he has representing the Philippines for three decades. He led the Philippine chess team to a 7th place finish in the year 1988 Chess Olympiad which was held in Greece. But maybe the biggest achievement of Torre was beating Anatoli Karpov a chess legend in 1976.

7. BOXING: Gabriel Elorde

Another boxing fighter, Gabriel Flash Elorde was born and raised in the town of Bogo, Cebu.  HE was very talented and very popular left-handed boxer who has a career record of 88-27-2 with 33 knockouts; during his popularity in the field of boxing he takes the titles Super Featherweight Champion of the World, WBC Super Featherweight Champion of the World, WBA Super Featherweight Champion of the World, OPBF Lightweight Championship, GABG Lightweight Championship of the Philippines, GAB Super featherweight of the Philippines, OPBF Bantamweight Championship, and the Gab Bantamweight Championship of the Philippines.

6. BASKETBALL: Robert Jaworski Sr.

Robert Jaworski Sr. also known as "The Big J" reigns the Philippine Basketball Association for 23 years playing for Toyota and the all time favorite team in the PBA, Ginebra. He became part of the national team that represented the Philippines in the Asian Game which was held in Bangkok, Thailand in the year 1966. By the following year he became part of the ABC or Asian Basketball Confederation team that played in Seoul, South Korea. And in the year 1973 this gentleman together with his team won the 1973 ABC games in the Philippines being the host country that year. When he finally hung up his jersey he was aged 52 and run for the country's senator and fortunately he won.

5. ATHLETICS: Lydia De Vega

Lydia Devega-Mercado a beautiful woman who was born and raised in Bulacan, Philppines got the title "Asia’s Sprint Queen" in the 1980's because he is the first Filipina and the 1st woman to win back-to-back gold medals in the 100-meter dash in Asian competition in 1982 and 1984. She holds the Philippine best record with her personal best 11.28 seconds. She was also a two-time Olympia, having won a gold medal in 1984 (Los Angeles) and 1988 (Seoul) Olympic games.

4. BILLIARDS: Efren "Bata" Reyes

This 55 yrs old billiard master nicknamed "The Magician” because he makes even the toughest shot in billiards. Reyes was born and raised in Pampanga, Philippines. He has taken titles in the World Cup, International 9-Ball Tournament and World 9-ball Open, and also he led his team Philippines to victory in the World Team Billiards and internationally took the gold medal in the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games. This gentlemen also is a champion in Pro-Tour Championship and PBT World 8-Ball in the year 1995, he won ESPN Ultimate Challenge and the WPA World 9-Ball Championship in 1999, Masters 9-Ball in 2001, Challenge of the Champions winner in 2002. Reyes remains the best when it comes to billiards and the most lethal weapon in pool today.

3. BOWLING: Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno

Philippine is very proud of Paeng Nepomuceno because he was the 1st Filipino Bowler to receive the Worlds 1st prestigious International Olympic Committee President's Trophy in 1993 and also the 1st bowler enshrined in the International Bowling Hall of Fame in St. Louis , Missouri in that same year. This Filipino guy also was the  1st  Filipino bowler listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having won the Bowling World Cup four times (1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996) in 1994. By the year 1999 according to FIQ Federation Internationale des Quilleurs, Paeng Nepomuceno is the 1st Filipino and the worlds “International Bowling Athlete of the Millennium".

2. BOXING: Nonito Donaire

Another Professional Filipino American boxer Nonito Donaire was known to his remarkable speed of his hand and foot-work and earned the nickname "The Filipino Flash."  This gentleman is a 4 division world champion and he is currently the reigning WBO Super Bantamweight Champion.He earns also the title WBC Bantamweight Champion, WBO Bantamweight Champion, Interim WBA Super Flyweight Champion and the IBF Flyweight Champion.Nonito is in rank 4 pound for pound boxer.
 

1. BOXING: Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao

Who doesn't know "Pacman" for his speed and his greatness when it comes to field of boxing? The pride of General Santos City, Mindanao . This gentleman is famous and well-known internationally, for having a wonderful career in boxing. He is the first Filipino and the only boxer in the world who won the seven world titles in different division on his sports (flyweight, super bantamweight, featherweight, super featherweight, light welterweight and welterweight).  Now Manny is not just famous when it comes to boxing, he is now also serving the country as a Congressman in Saranggani. He has now the title of "A Fighting Congressman." Why not?